E-cigs and flying: An update

If you vape, live in the UK, and plan to fly (or plan on visiting anytime soon), then you’re probably wondering what the rules and regulations are for flying and vaping. This is a very good question, because it involves details on not just legality, but safety. We all know that safety is a primary concern when it comes to flying – so what exactly is the stance nowadays on vaping while flying?

We found some helpful information on caa.co.uk (you can find the original content here: https://www.caa.co.uk/Blog-Posts/Vaping-and-gadgets-on-planes/) that answered several of our questions. The information was supplied by a Dangerous Goods Inspector by the name of Anita Rosser, and explains the up-to-date rules for vaping supplies and airlines.

The basics

E-cig users will be happy to know that they can still take their e-cig onto the aircraft – but they won’t be able to actually use it while in the cabin.

This seems like a bit of a no-brainer, really – but it probably does require a bit of clarification. So if you’re preparing to fly to or from the UK, you can rest assured that having a vape pen on board (as far as the UK is concerned) isn’t going to be a problem. You may want to look up that airline in particular to make sure you understand their policies – but in general, E-cigs are certainly allowed on airplanes.

Batteries

Lithium ion batteries are allowed with you in the cabin, but NOT in your luggage. You are also not allowed to charge them while on the flight, as this could cause them to overheat and increase the odds of a fire.

In addition, only vaping batteries within the watt hour range of 100 to 160 Wh are allowed – so if you’re not sure about what the watt hour number is on your battery, you should check out the battery itself or the manual to find out.

Electronic cigarettes themselves

E-cigs themselves must also be kept in the cabin, though as we clarified earlier, they cannot be used on board. They also cannot be packed and checked in with hold baggage. They must be in hand/cabin baggage.

E-liquids

E-liquids must be stored in containers no larger than 100ml in size, and will need to be placed inside a dedicated clear plastic bag, like any other liquids you might take on a flight.

Make sure that you check the individual airline rules before you leave

There are no standardized rules regarding E-cigs on planes at the moment – so it’s important that you check the airline’s website or give them a call before you leave so that you can make sure you’re not packing anything that would be against the rules. Instructions for packing might be a bit different from airline to airline as well, so try to do plenty of research before you actually depart for the airport.

As always, allow plenty of time to get through security. You wouldn’t want to miss your flight!

You should also research your destination country as well – just to make sure that you’ll be allowed to bring your electronic cigarettes and e-liquid with you into the country when you arrive. Some countries won’t allow you to import such things, and every airport’s rules are a little bit different.

This also requires a bit of research – so make sure to do this sooner rather than later, to avoid any unnecessary surprises at either end of the trip.

Here’s another good page with some information about carrying E-cigs and E-liquids on-board an airplane: http://www.gatwick-airport-guide.co.uk/e-cigarettes.html. Granted, it’s not quite as detailed, but it might help to give you a little bit of information and set you in a good direction.

About The Author

NicoleIt's my passion to do the research about familiar to me topics, especially when it comes to electronic cigarettes and the whole vaping industry as such. I hope you will find my content useful and when / if you do - please do share it! I will appreciate it! :) See our ''Who We Are'' page to find out more about me and my colleagues. Thanks and I look forward to your comments and feedback.